I caught this bass last night and noticed it had these matching marks on both sides of her head.   My buddy fishing with me said he had seen a post by another fisherman with a pic of the same thing and said this is some unique fish or something.  Does anyone here know what this is?   It is not a sore or virus.  They are very symmetrical healthy looking marks.  My buddy said like ears.  
 

We are both just very curious.   
 

Thanks!

These pictures are from 2018. VERY similar and believed to be from handling while hook removal slim coat was removed and infection is setting in. Or possible Lamprey eel as they try and get under the gill plate.

8 minutes ago, Ski said:

These pictures are from 2018. VERY similar and believed to be from handling while hook removal slim coat was removed and infection is setting in. Or possible Lamprey eel as they try and get under the gill plate.

Wow, those are similar!   I just found it weird that they are on both sides in exactly the same place.  We don’t have any lamprey near here.  I have seen sores on fish before and these looked healthy, just unique markings.   Thanks for posting.  Your fish looked similar with matching marks on both sides.  That’s what is throwing us off.  They seem too symmetrical to be random sores.  

Maybe your fish is in early stages yet, I really do not know but yes they are very similar.

 

 

I just sent the pictures to my states Department of Natural Resources.  Hopefully they have some idea.  It is really not a big deal, I am just very curious, even more so now that I have seen other pics and no real clear answer.  

Operculum conundrum...

8 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Operculum conundrum...

It’s true